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Now, on with the show. Phew. This is the Rich Eisen Show. And here goes Bajan Robinson. Are you serious?
From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Intercepting. Xavier Watts has got another one. Earlier on the show. Senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer.
Coming up. Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson. Actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air.
844-204. Rich is the number to dial. Rod Woodson, Pro Football Hall of Famer. Who better to talk about Ravens, Steelers, than this guy? Won one with the Ravens, went to another one with the Steelers.
He's the one, I believe, in that Super Bowl, last Super Bowl win for the Dallas Cowboys. He picked off. Um he picked off Aikman and pointed to his knee. Remember that he was he he broke up I I want to say he broke up on the sideline he broke it up because he kind of like right 'cause he came back from a knee injury. I think that's how it plays.
But he could not come back from Neil O'Donnell, I don't think. Wow. Who could, really? 844-204-Rich is the number to dollar. It's perfect that Rod Woodson's about to join this program because in the early years of NFL Network, when NFL total access existed.
Um I did more One hour long NFL total accesses with Rod Woodson than any other player analyst that we had. And he told so many great stories. And one story that he told. is one that I repeat all the time using the phrase that I heard from this story. He said, and I'll have him repeat it shortly, that Chuck Noll would always tell the team.
Prior to Um games. That the refs at some point are going to blow a call. I mean, that it's in very so everyone thinking that officiating is bad now. It's always been a question mark. in a world of Uh coaches Who are control freaks?
That is at the top of the list of uncontrollables. I mean, in terms of. uncontrollable. There's injuries and then it there is officiating. It's inevitable.
Pretty much. And he said, Rod, that Chuck Noll would say The way to control that uncontrollable the most is with your play. When football games By being in front of your opponent so far enough. That when the invariably bad call hits, it doesn't affect. whether you win or lose.
It doesn't happen in the throes of a game that's on the line. And it doesn't matter. If it happens in the throes of a game. When You're already up by two scores. Or you haven't fallen down by 21 points.
Like say the Rams did last night. in Atlanta and furiously come back only to fall down by three points and have A dot. thrown by Matthew Stafford down the field with less than 15 seconds to go to 2-2 Atwell. being clearly interfered with. And that call Costs you.
And that's when I sit there and think to myself about this story. Where Rod Woodson says Chuck Noll would always tell the team, play better. Then the ref's ref. And the Rams did not last night. And I Saw it.
And so did Joe Buck. And with all due respect to Russell Yerk, the rules analyst of ESPN. I think out of all the rules analysts, he agrees with the calls from his Uh officiating, I guess, colleagues. More than anybody else? And Even he said that was a blown call.
Uh that might be an unfair thing for me to say about uh one of our Disney friends. But he was readily saying that that's a blown call. And it was. And it cost the Rams because they could have clearly set up Their place kicker for a bunny to send the game into overtime.
Now Also, again, play better than the ref's ref. Stafford had a wide open receiver. to start that drive that would have set up Their kicker in field goal range, not for a bunny. That might have been a touchdown. Missed it.
And the refs did make a brilliant Snap call. On the Puka Nakua grab. that I thought was gonna go up there in terms of you know grabs Uh involving the Falcons. would have been way up there with Julio Jones in the Super Bowl. Which was an unbelievable grab that we don't talk about.
Forgotten great play. Correct. And yet we always talk about Odell catching that ball. But AJ, if you look at that play again, that one involved Puka's catch, non-catch last night, that they ruled no catch and then Rightfully reviewed to upheld, uh up, you know, to uphold the Snap judgment. A.J.
Terrell grabbed at Puka's arm, the arm that had the ball in it, was dislodged for a quick second. That's all it took? That's all it took. Otherwise, he caught it one-handed. Unbelievable.
Unreal. And got both feet down. I kept watching his feet to make sure, and was like, yeah. That was unreal. Listen.
Puka's in the realm of receivers. Puka's good, man. The goat of this, of anybody who's active, I guess, which is. Goes against saying of all time. But one of the greatest of all time at this, and I've told them to his face, DeAndre Hopkins, I tell him, whenever there is ever a question whether you got your feet down, I never question it.
You always get your feet down. He is, Texans fans will tell you, Cardinals fans will tell you, Ravens fans will tell you, even the Titan fans for his cup of coffee there will tell you. If there's ever any question, Devontae Adams is another one. Yeah. I never question whether his feeder in.
And same thing with puka. It's just like, did you have possession?
Now, that's just the question. But you're f I knew on that replay. Puka's feet would be down. It just would be the question, was the ball Corralled in time. And it was until Terrell ripped at it.
Then the ball Popper separated for a quick hot second. A split second. But his feet had already been up in the air by that point, and he was out of bounds, and that was the right call.
So, you know, I'm giving the. Officials, their props there. But again, I just it's tough. for me to swallow. And I'm sure fans feel the same way.
is is the inconsistency. It's just the inconsistency of making calls with the game on the line or not.
Now, the official in question went missing this defensive pass interference, may not have been in position. I mean, 2-2 outro is pretty damn fast. And Um And that may be the reason why I wasn't called. I mean, the official in position was in definitely in position in Baltimore. A couple of Sunday nights ago, when Keyshawn Booty was tackled before the play.
And there was no defensive pass interference. And Mike Vrabel said after the game, the reason he was given when he said, Why was there no penalty? He goes, There was no complete attach. You didn't survive the ground. I'm like, well.
The reason why he didn't survive the ground is because he was tackled before the ball got there. You know what I mean? Let's go first things first. Was there. Was there interference before we talk about whether there was a possession on a cat shed?
Yeah. Now, that's not what I mean by the inconsistency. I'm sitting in a booth. Colin Chargers and Texans. And I'll be very honest with everybody calling a game.
I don't. Do it enough. I don't, I'm not fortunate enough to do it enough. I'd love to do it more. Or at least I used to feel that way.
But. It is an exciting thing to do. In the moment, calling football games. It's so great. Again, Just to share with you, I always talk about things in advance or or or after the fact on this program.
That's all I've done for a living. Calling games It's my job to deliver the action in real time. It's an exhilarating thing. It's totally different from this endeavor here on this program, where dead air is a disaster, but dead air calling football games It's frequently the right thing to do. The reason why I'm bringing all this up Is I really wanted to call a game where Justin Herbert got one more shot at trying to win it.
I always want the game to come down to the last second. Every announcer. If any announcer's out there is telling you He or she does not care about Calling a blowout or wanting to be there and having a last second thing. I don't care which teams are involved. I just want it to come down to the last play.
I just really do. Yeah, I want this thing to be a highest rating. I want it to be exciting for you at the fans at home. And so when I saw. a sack of CJ Stroud going to bring Justin Herbert out on the field, one last shot.
I'm thinking, all right, here we go. I wasn't rooting for C.J. Stroud to get sacked. I don't root in the moment. It's just, I would love for a game to come down to the last second.
And um There's a penalty. And it's an illegal contact penalty on Tar Heap still. on Christian Kirk, and I'm looking at it and I'm thinking to myself. This doesn't have to be called. Like if it's not called This is one of those moments where.
You're not looking at the place saying that's a clear and obvious illegal contact, you could be calling illegal contact on every play. in the National Football League. In this case, they went ahead and called it. And it cost the Chargers a moment.
Now Again. Bringing it all back full circle. The Chargers made so many damn mistakes. They allowed a call like that to crop up at the worst possible time for them. And the Texans played well enough.
to accept that break that they got.
Now, defensively, they probably would have put Justin Herbert on his tail because that's what they're doing to everybody right now. But that's the inconsistency I'm talking about.
Okay, so it doesn't matter where it is. In the game, doesn't matter that it's going to give a fresh set of downs to another team. That I saw, ref. Throwing a flag. The ref saw it.
They called it, end of story. What about last night? What about last night? Is that one of those moments where it's It's late in the game, anything's got to go. You even thought.
It's essentially a Hail Mary. But it's still not. You know, it is, it is. a go route That had Tutu at, well, had both of his hands at his disposal. And he caught it.
I don't think they would have been able to get another playoff to even spike it. They might have run their special teams crew out there. I just don't know. If They would have been able to sprint out with time running down to get the field goal or just get the ball even spotted. It would have been that difficult.
But it's it's the inconsistency. Where one Los Angeles team doesn't get the shot. The other Los Angeles team doesn't get the shot. And one of them is because a call was made that I thought was pedestrian. And then another call.
doesn't get made and it's blatant. But I'll tell you this. Just to bring it all full circle. Two things. One, I know the conspiracy theorists go crazy about this sort of thing, and the inconsistencies only give them more fuel.
And um I think that's wrong. And then number two. As well. on this whole thing. Replay ain't the answer.
Just isn't. That everything that gets challenged, it's all of these are judgment calls. Everything needs to be clear and obvious. And I just even though that was clear and obvious on The pass interference that wasn't called? I just saw what that Replay system looked like the year after the NFC Championship game.
was marred By such a blown non-call. Yeah, the Rams benefited from that one. Correct. Um that it was such a disaster the next year with replay. Made showed it wasn't the answer.
But that was a challenge situation, right? I mean, Sky Judge is already chiming in. Replay Assist. Like, why can't they have Replay Assist put a flag on? But what is the reason?
Because they don't want people in New York City being the overlords. They want the people to be at the game in charge of whether there's a flag on the field. They want the human. At the game to be the ones to place the flag on the field. They do not want.
Any entity that looks down Big Brother from New York saying that's a penalty, you should put it on the field, with the exception of something that's so obvious, there's a twelve man, twelfth man on the field or something like that. They just don't want to do it. They'll never do it. That was what we loved about baseball, right? Human element of the umpires.
And now that's being taken away as well. Like, why can't the NFL just adapt? Um but there's they're still going to um have the umpires out there. It's not like they're removing them completely. You know what I mean?
They will just never. That's one thing that I'm sure of. I know one of our favorite drops is never say never, but never. That is exactly. How I would look at the league ever saying Replay Assist handles everything.
It'll just never happen. Never say never, but never. Correct. Hmm. And it is never also going to be perfect.
Ever I just would love it to be more consistent. That's all. Why would it be just like, hey, it doesn't matter that there's Uh A Chargers team that just forced a fourth down. You know, still put his hands on Christian Kirk more than five yards down the field. End of story, that's a penalty.
And I'm calling it.
Well, well. Tutu Atwell had hands put on him in an obvious manner. And no call. Is that because there's only ten seconds to go? That's the inconsistency that drives me nuts.
That I'd love for the NFL to somehow fix. I just don't know how fixable it is. It will always be human error. The ultimate fix. is to play better.
Don't make those mistakes. Don't have a pick six. Don't don't come away with a turnover on downs. Don't let Bijan Robinson run 93 yards. It's easier said than done on that one.
Yeah. Rod Woodson coming up next, right here on the Rich Eisen Show. He's the guy who told me that story about the refs playing better than the refs. You got to play better than the refs, ref. And who better again?
He's a radio voice of the Ravens, Mr. Steeler himself. Oh, and we've also got. Kenny in Massachusetts, who called in at hour number one, is a Purdue fan wondering if he should root for Indiana. He's still there?
Oh, he's there. I love him. We're going to hook him up and have him ask Rod Woodson, Purdue Boilermaker himself, Mr. Boiler Up. Joining us next on the Rich Eisen Show, that very question.
Don't go anywhere. This is the Rich Eisen Show on a Tuesday. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. The Rich Eisen Show Don't Go Anywhere. We're back on our radio simulcast.
Rod Woodson is about to zoom in here. Let's go to Kenye in Brooklyn, New York, back here on the program. What's up, sir? Hey, Rich, how you doing today? How are you doing?
I'm good. Did you have a good holiday? I'm doo yeah. How about you? Good, good.
I'm here in New York, man, but I normally call from DC. Go, Birds. But I got a question for you. Jalen has beat all the elite quarterbacks, but yet nobody gives him his props. Do you feel that that's justified, or should they acknowledge him as the elite quarterback that he is?
Well, what do you mean by props? Because, you know. Um We certainly give it to him here. And the Eagles gave it to him. in in the form of a You know, big fat check.
Big fat check. You know, so but but I I understand what you're you're raising your finger over that was the uh Roman Reigns we were acknowledging, Jim. Ah, got it.
Okay. But okay, so what I mean by props is, like I said, if you look at the what happened over the years, He's beat Mahomes, he's beat Stafford. He beat Allen. Burrow, Lamar, et cetera, et cetera. But then when people come out with the list, He's never on the elite list, but yet he beat all the elites.
Because he had he has games where he looks super mediocre and bottom of the league. He had no completed passes in the second half on Sunday, and it's just One of the biggest I guess mysteries like if if If we had that old, I know I'm dating myself. You remember In Search of? You remember that TV show? Yeah.
You know, where we'd look at the Bermuda Triangle or look for, you know, the grainy Sasquatch pictures and stuff like that? I do. The football In Search of would be what? What is the Eagles' offense every other year? You know, every other year it's it's it's like What's up with that?
Now, part of that may have something to do. And one of the other things is what Kenya did for to give Jalen Hurts his prompts is. He has do you did you know That except for back-to-back years when he first arrived in Philadelphia, having Shane Steichen as his offensive coordinator. in back to back years. He's never had a coordinator in back-to-back years since leaving high school.
Yeah. I know the fact that he's never had the same offense coordinator, and that's all the more reason he should still be elite because he has to change. Offensive formulas every year. And so that may have something to do with it. But at the end of the day, it does come down to winter go home time.
And in terms of the biggest game in the history of the world and Football and the lives of people who play football. The Super Bowl, he's two for two and having. Brilliant performances. We got it. Correct.
Brilliant. Thank you. There you go. Thanks for the call. Kenya in Brooklyn.
Here on the Rich Hisen Show. You know, bear. Uh and he's gonna be taking on the commanders. Maybe we'll see a lot of Tanner McKee. Depends on how Siriani wants to play it.
Does the two seed matter more than the three? And then it's going to be him against the Rams of the four. If he's the three seed, I have the next-gen stats in front of me here. The Eagles, according to next-gen stats from NFL network research, Get ready for it, Chris. The Eagles have a 69% chance of being the three-seed.
Nice. um and a thirty one percent chance of being the two seed. We do the math for you. Yeah, although two seats is nicer.
So, odds are they're going to be taking on the Rams. And then I'll be on. I think they should feel good about those chances. I don't know about this. The ultimate, like.
Both teams are kind of not playing great heading into the playoffs. Joining us here on the Rich Eisen Show, my Hall of Fame friend who calls Ravens games on the radio and is Mr. Steeler as well, Rod Woodson. Good to see you, Roderick. How are you doing, sir?
Rich Eisen, it is great to see you. You're my favorite Rich in the whole world. More than Gannon? Yeah, Rich, last time I seen Rich in action, he threw five picks. Ladies and gentlemen, Ron Woodson has shown up.
Come on. All right. You think of Raven Steelers for all the AFC North marbles, Rod. You think what? What are you thinking?
I mean, first of all, let's give praise to the National Football League and the higher-ups, whoever made this decision to. Move back some of the divisional games till later in the year because before it's beginning of the year, and then they would kind of move them all over the place, but having them at the end of the year. It's just made it more intriguing. And I mean, this is winner take all. I mean, and you know, that to me is what the NFL should be.
So first of all, let's give credit to our credit's due. But when you think about the Steelers and the Ravens games, out of 30, I think they play 38 games, 39 now. And each game or out of 28 of those games have been by one score or less, and 19 of those games have been by three points or less.
So it's going to be a close game. It's going to be fun. It's going to be a good game to call. Uh I think the Ravens Last week. Got back to their bully ball.
And that's the way they need to play. from here on out, giving the ball to Derrick Henry. We know what happened two weeks ago. And Derrick Henry was not in the game in the fourth quarter. And everybody's like, what the heck?
How's 22 not in the game? And I think everybody heard that. I think. Every coaching staff has a A way to do things. They have substitutions when they're going to substitute certain players.
But normally, when you have guys like Derrick Henry, you want them to start the game, you want them to come off in the second half, be a part of the second half, and you want them to finish the game. Right. And now I think they I don't know if they figured it out. We're going to find out, but I think they found a way to hey, listen. I don't know if he's going to get 36 carries.
I think he's going to get about 25 to 28 carries. Keith Mitchell will get the other part of those carries. And, you know, if they. Let them know, hey, we're going to run the ball. We know you know we're going to run the ball, but we're still going to be successful at it.
Well, why do they get away from bully ball? Again, in the AFC championship game a couple years ago, right? The, as you pointed out, against the Patriots on Sunday night football. And I understand the answer is like, how does 36 carries against the Packers sound to you? And the answer from Ravens fans is great.
You know, great. You know what I mean? Because Derrick Henry doesn't. I remember he's kinda like And I can't believe I'm making this analogy. Like Roger Federer, like he comes off the field.
I never see him gasping for air. You know what I mean? I don't see him sucking on the oxygen. And I know he's human. At some point, he does have to rest.
But how does that happen? Why do the Ravens get away from Bully Ball? Rod? That's a great question. I mean, it's, you know, I said it at the beginning of the year that I thought they had the best roster.
Going into the season this past year, right? And then they just have been very inconsistent. Defensively, they hadn't played well, and they traded. Oh way away. Got Gilman.
And Gilman, they defensively have played better. Offensively, they've been very inconsistent. But Lamar has been inconsistent. And listen, they really need a great Lamar for this team to be at its best. When they have a great Lamar and a Derrick Henry and a tough physical defense.
Then this is that's the best version of the Ravens that you can find.
Now, I don't know if Lamar is going to play this week, but I think Tyler Huntley, I think the one thing that he has taught. the Ravens. And I'm glad that Tyler Huntley called John Harwell in the offseason and said, Hey, I want to come back on the roster. And they put him back on, and they got him back on the roster. Um, because he's he knows how to win, and he knows how to play in that system.
He looks at his first read, he looks at his second read, and if he doesn't like either one of those, he's gone. And that's what Lamar used to do. And Huntley has done it extremely efficient since a couple games that he's played this year. And this past week, he looked like a young Lamar. quick intermediate throws and when he didn't like what he saw.
Got first downs with this feet.
Well, why isn't the genuine article? Lamar, right? Like what what is up? And I'm sure you heard about the column that was in the Baltimore Sun this week, too, Rod, just putting out there. His practice habits, his eating habits.
Again, I mean, the same thing that cropped up his last time he had a contract that was up in the air. We're hearing the same thing. I mean, where do you stand on the subject of eight here? I don't know. First of all, I don't even know how they got that inf that.
that information, that personal information. I mean his eating habits. Gosh, Rich, when I played, I used to hit Little Dabby's Twist Rules like all the time. Like, I get it where these players are saying they're putting better things in their bodies and they're trying to be machines. They're still human beings, right?
Now, I would say this. He's a young Lamar. He's still young. Heck, when I was young, we went out, we were out and doing things. People didn't know it because.
You know, they didn't have social media, didn't have cell phones, and all that stuff. You know, it happens. But to be the best vert, and he's played well with that. Listen, he was a two-time MVP and should have been the MVP last year. All right, arguably, he should have been an MVP last year.
So he could have been a three-time MVP. And he's been staying up late and eating bad food. And he was still playing at a very high level. This year, He's been injured, and I know he's been injured in the last several years. But I think it's not just the injuries.
I think it's more up here. I think it's more mental. Like, does he trust his offensive line? Does he trust every person? Person he's throwing the ball to because he's kind of gotten back to throwing the ball at his A Flowers.
and Mark Andrews. And He has other weapons. And he needs to use those, and he needs to believe in those guys. He needs to believe in his offensive line. And I think if he does play and he is the best version of himself.
I don't know if the Steelers can beat them because I think The Ravens do have a little bit better roster. And I said at the very beginning of the year: I think the Ravens are the best team in the league, and I thought the sleeper team. Of the league was the Pittsburgh Steelers because they got Aaron Rodgers and they put a lot of money on the defensive side. And yet, the Steelers are the ones with the home date, and one went away from winning the division after all. But as you pointed out, Rod, the Ravens.
Are coming in with a much better performance the week before without their quarterback. And the Steelers are coming in off a loss to the Browns, in which they sure looked like they were missing DK Metcalf, even though he really wasn't a world beater for much of the year anyway. But he's still DK Metcalf, Rod, and he's not going to be there on Sunday night.
So. I just asked you about the conversation that's going on in Baltimore, where you're far more embedded being the radio voice of the Ravens than you are of the Steelers, but you still are Mr. Steeler. Do you think if the Steelers lose this, this Could be Mike Tomlins' last game as the head coach there. Yeah.
No. I mean, the one thing I like about the Steelers, the one thing I like about the Ravens, that they don't listen to the outside noise. A lot of owners in front office. Groups do, but the Rooney family and Steve Buscioti, they're not going to listen to the outside noise. I mean, if John Harbaugh.
Loses this game. Does do you fire John Harbaugh? No. Mike Tomlin loses this game. Do you fire Mike Tomlin?
No, I think Mike Tomlin needs to make some. changes what is Coaching staff, because at the end of the day, it's not just your players who aren't playing at the best level. You gotta, that has to be a reflection of the coaches, right? And it's the same thing with the Baltimore Ravens.
So and I know they got a bunch of new coaches, or not a bunch, but they got quite a few new coaches this past offseason talking about the Ravens.
So they have to reevaluate that. I think every year, John Harbaugh, Mike Tomlin need to reevaluate how can they get better as an organization? How can they get better as a football team? How can they have the players be the best version of themselves week in and week out? Consistently throughout a year.
And sometimes you have to make hard changes and let coaches go and bring in new coaches and new blood and new energy. But I don't think Mike Tomlin or John Hardwall is going to be gone. Rod Woodson here on the Rich Eisen Show. I was mentioning moments ago, Rod, that you and I did more NFL total accesses maybe than any host analyst combination at the start of NFL network all the way through, halfway through its existence. And so you've played a lot of football.
You've seen a lot of football. Have you seen... A field, a playoff field this wide open. Honestly, I really feel a dozen teams can take it.
Somebody can get hot and take it for real. I have not. I mean, you know, you look at Seattle, and you know, I'm thinking Seattle is just going to. Be that team, and then you've seen they had some hiccups. You know, the Rams they look like that team, and then they have some hiccups, and Chile, the 49ers.
You know, they've played extremely well. without some of their key players the Philly The Eagles who reigning Super Bowl champs They look very inconsistent. I mean, just. How about the Bears, Rod, right? I mean, Caleb's playing out of his skull, and that defense takes it away.
I'll tell you what, if anybody deserves coach of the year. Right. To take Caleb, to take Williams and get him to the point where He's held accountable weekly. And I think that's what's made him so good now. I think he's learned.
What defense is trying to do to him. And at the end of the day, in the fourth quarter, he's still allowed to get out of the pocket, run around, make plays with his feet. And ad-lib, which most defenses aren't ready for. And I think that's an amazing job, what the coaching staff has done up in Chicago. Um you know, but it's going to be fun to see.
Which team can play the best football for 60 minutes for three games to get to the Super Bowl. Mm-hmm. Who do you think they are? Mm-hmm. Well, that's a good one, Rich.
That is a good one. I really like The Rams. I do like the Rams because I think Matthews I think Stafford should be the league MVP. That's not even a question to me. That's like, I mean, he is a lot of questions after last night, Rod.
A lot of questions after last night. You're not going to have great games. Every quarterback that's played in the league this year, they haven't had. You know 18 great games. It's just hard to do in the National Football League, but he's had a lot of great games and had at.
At his age, nobody thought he was going to play at this level. Right. I didn't think he was going to play at this level. I mean, I thought he'll be good. Because he's an older player and he knows what he can and cannot do, and he's been in the riggers, he's seen a lot of defenses, so it's not going to surprise him what he sees.
But he is flinging it. to everybody. And they got a solid running game with a two-headed monster. Right. So I and they got a young defense.
They can get after you. What about the AFC then? The AFC I think is more wide open. I really do. I mean, I like.
The best defense in AFC right now is the Denver Broncos. North Houston. I saw them with my own two eyes this week. Yeah, you just let me reel that one back again. Let me roll that back in.
There. Let me roll that one back in.
Okay. Okay. There's a 1A and a 1B. Yep. And I really I really forgot I just missed I missed that.
Yep. The Houston Texans are 1A. Because they got rushers that can get after you. And the defense on the back end, man. And they're backhand pitch guys.
Yeah. They like to hit and they can cover. I do like I mean my best my favorite player to watch right now is Sertan. Right? I love Denver and what they've been doing.
They got a young, fast physical defense. They can get after everybody. You know, they make it hard on everybody. You know, you look at Bo Nicks, and Bo Nick's. Doesn't have great stats all the time, but he has two drives in the fourth quarter or one drive in the fourth quarter that makes you go, oh, I like this kid.
I really like this kid. He's gritty. He's tough. He doesn't sulk in self-pity if he doesn't do something right early. And they won a lot of close games.
That's why I kind of like them. But the defense for the Texans, if anybody reminds me of our 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense. This defense does. Wow. Because they can get after it.
I mean, they stop the run, they can pressure the quarterback, and they can play on the back end. Before I let you go, Rod, I've got a caller who called in in hour number one and asked me this question, and I'm like. I gotta let him. Stay on hold to hour two to ask you, Mr. Perdue, this question, Rod Woodson.
Let's bring on Kenny from Massachusetts. Kenny, you still there, Kenny? Yes, I am. All right, Kenny, you have the floor. Rod Woodson, meet Kenny from Massachusetts.
I will It's an honor. I'm a Boilermaker graduate. Huge, huge fan. Um, I this is what I'm about to ask you kind of feels sacrilegious because I really am a diamondable Purdue fan, didn't miss a single game at Ross Aid, didn't miss a game at Mackie. Um But right now, my football watching life is pretty turbulent.
Not only am I a Dolphins fan, we're not doing too well, but I'm also a Massachusetts transplant. I got to hear from everybody I know.
So I really want to just not even root for a winner, but not hear it from the winners. I got to be honest, I'm a Miami kid. I'm a Cuban American. Just like Fernando Mendoza, the dark sign was kind of calling me to for Indiana this college football playoff. And you know I I don't know.
I'm I'm at like a crisis of faith. Are you gonna you're gonna you're gonna root for Indiana? Cool. I don't want to. No, you're not, but it was.
Come on, bro. No, you're not. No, you're not. Listen, I root for the Big Ten. But I'm not going to say I'm going to roof Indiana.
I'm going to root for everybody else in the whole world except IU. I get that. I really do. And you know what? If you say so, I got to stick it out.
And I got to pull it out. It's like, okay, you can't, it's like... If you are Purdue You say you went to Purdue, you love Purdue. And then you just turn around and said, But I'm on a root for Indiana. Like, what?
No, you can't. You cannot do that. You just can't know. But this Signetti is great. What a story they are.
He is. But still not the coach. Still not. I'm not the coach. I love what they're doing.
I love that they're winning. But they're IU. I will never, ever, you will never, ever, ever, ever hear me say IU is great. Oh, I won't say that. I will, you know what?
I'll root for Banner to win. I just, I'll secretly smile if Mendoza throws some touchdowns. All right, Kenny, you got your answer. Kenny of Massachusetts, there you go. RES Consulting hooking up a pretty see.
I couldn't answer that question. I figured you'd be the better guy to answer. But I thought you'd be like, no, you know what? Let's give Indiana its one shot. One shot out of nowhere, Rod.
I love what they're doing. I do. But you won't hear it come from my mouth that I love IU. It just won't happen. Mr.
Indiana saying that about myself, ladies and gentlemen. Rod, you're the best. Love you, man. We'll chat again soon. Love you.
Have a great day. That's Rod Woodson. He's going to call Ravens locally on the radio. Right there on the Rich Isa's show. That was great.
Yeah. Oh my gosh. Let's take a break. 844-204-Rich, number to doll. Call in.
We'll hook you up with whoever. You know, if they're on our roster. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Get into the Hyundai Getaway sales cement right now and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong because right now you can get a great deal on our most popular models, including our Adventure Ready SUVs, the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Santa Fe hybrid models are those. And then there's the bold and stylish Elantra packed with all the latest tracker.
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Sitting in front of the television and watching the Cheese-Its Citrus Bowl. Oh. Yeah. Is that Michigan? Yes.
Oh, nice. Congrats.
Well, all of us Wolverines are excited to talk football and see football. Um, and an actual game as opposed to everything else. Although Kyle Whittingham's arrival has certainly calmed some waters, I bet. Um, and we will see who is dressed, who's not, all out of business against Texas. Pretty big football game.
God bless Sark. Uh, he was sitting next to Biff Pogey, our interim, um, at the press conference held today, and uh, he said he thinks that. This Texas, Michigan. Bowl game could outview some of the actual college football playoff quarterfinal games. Way to flex.
We're Texas, that's Michigan. We're going to combine for a big fat rating. Sure. I'll be watching. That is for sure.
Um And Sark let loose on what else he's up to on a day like today prior to this game. And It's amazing. He was talking about... Transfer portals right around the corner. and talking to players.
And talking to recruits and high school recruits and drop this sound bite. We've got to have our list of needs, our list of wants, and our list of luxuries, and then what's the dollar sign next to all that?
Okay, and then what's the bottom dollar from an organizational standpoint? And the idea that I can sit up here in 2025 and talk about money and players and things like it's pretty crazy, right? From where we've gotten to, where we were four or five years ago to where we are today, but that's the reality of the situation of college football right now, and that's where we are. Again, I think there's nothing wrong with that. We just got to tighten it up.
And hopefully, we can get there sooner rather than later. Because, again, I'm probably going to be on the phone with an agent today that's going to throw a number at me that I'm going to be like. Good luck. I hope you get it. If you don't, call us back.
But I can't do that number. Could you imagine? Again, we just talked about Raven Steelers in hour one, hour two. Could you imagine if Mike Tomlin, getting ready for this game on Sunday night, had to deal with free agency? Oof.
I'm serious. And re-recruiting his own players. Yeah, like whoever didn't play because DK wasn't there, because they decide this player's not ready enough yet, or Rogers doesn't trust him. I'm not saying that it exists in real life. I'm just giving you.
Hypotheticals. And that player walks up to Tom and says, I'm out of here unless you pay me. Yeah, exactly. Right before the game. Bananas.
That's what's happening. And this is at the Cheez-It Bowl level. You don't think that's happening with any of the eight coaches playing in the college football playoff this weekend? I'm happ I bet you it's happening with all eight of them. Four shore.
That they're getting ready for these games and also having to talk to agents, as Sark mentioned in the. Moments before, it was a two-minute long soundbot. I had our crack staff cut it down. He said some of the agents Okay. That he's dealing with.
Most of them aren't. Real agents They're not certified like they have to be in the NFL to be dealing. He said some of these agents might be the freshman. Player involves roommate. That's what's happening in college football.
Like, what the hell? The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
